Refuge
by Janet Fraiser
Summary: When an accident takes her wife, Janet Fraiser loses her way. Leaving the life she's known to escape the painful reminders of what she lost that day, Janet gets in the car and drives without a clear destination in mind. She finds a refuge from the storm of grief in the most unbelievable of places with the most unlikely of people, including a brilliant woman with an astounding past.
1. Loss

**Author's Note:** I blame napoleonicpowerqueen for this. She asked for this and my muse, being the amazingly cruel beast that she is, agreed immediately because it's cruel and painful and such a fun prompt. I've got the next chapter done and sent to my amazing beta (yay napoleonicpowerqueen!) and the next installment is nearly done so updates should be relatively quick.

 **Disclaimer** : I own nothing recognizable.

* * *

She's been staring at her computer screen for two hours now and Janet Fraiser's eyes are starting to cross. The test results she's been trying to make sense of keep swimming as she stares and she sighs heavily as she blinks and sits back. It's been a long day and she knows when it's time to quit for a while, despite what her staff would say. Pushing away from her desk, she stands and stretches, wincing when her back pops loudly. A quick glance at her watch tells her that it's time for lunch so she decides to head up and see if her wife's eaten anything more than the blue jello Janet knows she'll find.

"I'll be back," she tells her charge nurse on her way out of the infirmary. Her mind wanders as she walks to the elevator, flitting between the results she's just left behind and the plans her wife has for their fifth wedding anniversary. Sam's been extremely secretive but Janet's managed to weasel a few tidbits of information from her; Sam's planned a picnic when they get off duty later today and there's a beautifully wrapped present with Janet's name on it in Sam's desk drawer.

"You do know that blue jello isn't actually food, right?" At the sound of Janet's voice, Sam looks up sheepishly from the magnifying glass she's been looking through and offers a smile as she tries to push the half empty cups of blue jello out of the way. Janet rolls her eyes and plops herself down on the stool across from the blonde, shaking her head. "It's too late for that, you doofus. Did you at least eat anything other than jello?"

"Uh, I had a bagel," Sam says, scrunching her nose for a moment as she thinks. "Wait, that was breakfast, wasn't it?"

"Yes, yes it was," Janet rolls her eyes and props her elbows on the work table's surface before resting her chin in her hands. "We can go to the commissary and grab something quick."

"Can't," the blonde replies, motioning to the magnifying glass. "SG-9 brought back a goa'uld device from P4X-526 and General Hammond asked me to study it because no one has any idea what it is or what it does."

"Anything noteworthy yet?"

"The amount of energy it's giving off is increasing in small increments," Sam says. Lifting the small square artifact so Janet can see it, Sam huffs. "I can't figure out where it's even getting the power from. It _appears_ to be a solid piece of stone and the readings show it's not magnetized but I have no idea where the energy's coming from."

"Sounds like quite the puzzle." Janet's brow furrows as she stares at the small item; it's a dark grey, with symbols etched on the surface. "Does Daniel know what it says?"

Sam nods and sets the artifact down. "He said he thinks it says something about destroying the enemy but he's not entirely sure because he's never seen a few of the symbols before." Her focus shifts from the device to her wife and she smiles. "He's doing research now, hoping he'll find something to help decipher the unknown symbols so we can figure out what the artifact does."

Janet sits up straight and returns the smile, her brown eyes sparkling. "Well then, we have time to go eat something. Daniel is incredibly thorough, you know, and he won't be done until he knows exactly what every symbol means."

Sam nods and goes to move the artifact back into its yellow storage case when there's a flash of light and a deafening sound. Janet doesn't even have time to cry out before she's thrown backward off the stool and into the wall behind her. The last thing she hears before she loses consciousness is the sound of the Mountain's alarm going off over the intercom.

* * *

The pain that greets her return to awareness is enough to make her groan. Her head is pounding, her body feels leaden, and she's faintly aware that she can't move. She groans again and tries to remember what happened, but nothing comes to her immediately. It takes her a full five minutes to get her eyes open but when she does, the bright fluorescent lighting above her makes her groan and slam her eyes shut again.

"Doctor Fraiser?" The voice makes her head throb and she winces as she tries to speak. Licking her lips, she groans.

"Turn the overhead lights off," another voice says and the bright light is gone. Opening her eyes again, she blinks slowly in confusion. Doctor Warner and General Hammond are standing over her with sad looks that makes Janet unsure about what's going on. Licking her lips again, she finally manages to speak.

"Wha- . . . What . . .?"

"There was an accident, Doctor Fraiser," Warner interrupts her, the sadness on his face making him look twenty years older. "What do you remember?"

She stares up at him and frowns, sifting through the jumbled memories she has. _Test results . . . picnics . . . blue jello . . . Sam_. Her eyes open wide and she shakes her head as her breathing grows ragged.

"Sam . . . There was . . . there was a device," she croaks, her anxiety increasing when the general nods solemnly.

"Major Carter was studying a goa'uld device brought back by SG-9. There was some sort of failsafe that was triggered and caused a sudden buildup of energy. The two of you were caught in the explosion."

" _Sam_?"

"I'm so sorry, Doctor Fraiser." The utter devastation on the general's face makes Janet's heart jump into her throat and she whimpers quietly when Hammond reaches out and places a gentle hand on her upper arm. "Doctor Warner did everything he could but Major Carter's injuries were too severe because of her immediate proximity to the device. She didn't make it through surgery."

Janet stares up at the bald man in shock, her mouth agape as she twitches. ' _This isn't happening. This can't be happening_ ,' she thinks. ' _This is a cruel joke. Sam's fine, she's just okay, and I'm going to kick her ass when I see her again._ ' Her mind can't accept what she's been told and she closes her eyes to avoid seeing the pity on the general's face. ' _He's wrong. Sam's okay_.'


	2. Grief

**Author's Note:** I _still_ blame napoleonicpowerqueen for this. She asked for this and my muse, being the amazing beast that she is, agreed immediately because it's cruel and painful and such a fun prompt.

 **Disclaimer** : I own nothing recognizable.

* * *

There's a storm brewing in the distance, thunder and lightening rolling through the dark clouds along the horizon. The large group gathered graveside is a somber sea of dress blues and there's hardly a dry eye to be found. Sitting rigidly in the front row, her back ramrod straight and her eyes firmly forward, Janet is expressionless. She doesn't move, not when Hammond gives an emotional eulogy about how proud he was of his goddaughter, not when Jack and Daniel and Teal'c speak about Sam's bravery and intelligence as a scientist and warrior, not even when Cassie slips a hand into hers and startles when the 3-volley rifle salute sounds. It's only when an officer drops to one knee in front of her and extends Sam's flag to her that she responds to her surroundings; her hands come up to cradle the folded flag and a quiet whimper in the back of her throat betrays her emotional distress.

"On behalf of the President of the United States, the Department of the Air Force, and a grateful nation, we offer this flag for the faithful and dedicated service of Major Samantha Carter," the officer says softly. Janet stares down at the blue and white triangle in her hands and purses her lips, unwilling to truly believe that she's expected to go on after this; she's expected to put on a brave face and function as a normal human being even though half of her soul is gone and the thought is absolutely inconceivable. How can she face the thought of living day in and day out without Sam? How can she go on without her heart?

Mourners come to shake her hand and offer their condolences after the service but Janet, caught in a private storm of unending grief, doesn't really pay attention to who's talking or what they're saying. Cassie steps in at some point, acting as a middleman and accepting the kind words. Daniel and Teal'c sit by Janet, one on each side, and offer their silent support.

"Doctor Fraiser, I'm so sorry for your loss." The words, gently spoken, pull Janet from her staring contest with the flowers on Sam's temporary grave marker. The man standing just to the right of her chair is tall - though everyone's tall compared to the tiny doctor - and is entirely unremarkable in his appearance. He holds out a business card and Janet automatically takes it, her hand falling back into her lap as she swallows and nods her thanks. The man smiles faintly at her and then blends into the crowd. Daniel pries the card from Janet's fist and tucks it into the pocket of her uniform jacket as Teal'c leans over and rests his hand lightly on her shoulder.

"Doctor Fraiser, are you ready to go home?" he asks but Janet doesn't reply. She's staring at the flower arrangement resting on the temporary marker again, her eyes locked on the red roses; they remind her of Sam's shy offering on their first date. Daniel wraps his arm around Janet's shoulders and gives her a soft squeeze.

"Janet, we're going to take you home," he says softly but Janet shakes her head slightly, making Daniel frown. "No?"

Jack appears in front of them and squats down to bring himself to Janet's level. His kind eyes are sad but he offers her a small smile and says, "You and Cassie are welcome to come stay with me, Doc. I have the room and you'll have nothin' to worry about."

She nods and lets Jack take her hand to pull her from her chair. The crowd of mourners is almost gone, a few stragglers left to watch SG-1 form a tight circle of support around Janet and Cassie, and the group quickly makes their way to the line of black sedans and airmen waiting for them. Cassie guides her mother into the backseat and climbs in after her. Janet sighs softly and leans against her daughter, letting her head rest against the young woman's shoulder.

"I miss her, Mom," Cassie whispers as she slides her arm around Janet's shoulders and pulls her close. "I miss her so much."

Janet is silent on the ride to Jack's house. Her head is pounding and her chest hurts like she's having a heart attack, though she knows that's not possible. ' _I don't have a heart anymore_ ,' she thinks. ' _It died five days ago_.'

Jack makes sure she's comfortable when they get to his house. Janet sits on the edge of the guest room's bed and stares at the wall; she's not sure what to do with herself anymore. She knows she needs to eat - ' _When was the last time I actually ate_?' - but she can't bring herself to really care. Cassie sits with her, holding her hand, and Janet feels horrible that she's withdrawing when her daughter needs her most. Janet isn't the only one who lost a part of herself; Cassie's lost a mother and if she's not careful, Janet knows her daughter is going to lose both parents.

"I miss her too," she finally whispers, speaking for the first time since finalizing Sam's funeral arrangements. "I don't know how I can live without her, Cass."

"I don't know," Cassie replies sadly, tears gathering in her eyes as she looks over at her mother. "I don't know how either."

"We always knew that there was a chance she wouldn't come home one day. It's the nature of the job," Janet sighs. "But I always thought it'd be off-world. I always thought she'd go down in a blaze of glory, taking goa'uld and jaffa with her. I never thought it'd be on earth, taken by a stupid fucking piece of stone."

She trembles violently as the pain she's been trying to repress surges forth. Her arms wrap around her middle in an attempt to stem the flow of pain but she can't stop the tears that slip down her cheeks. The sobs, when they come, are harsh and she feels like she's drowning in her anguish. Just when she's certain she's going to die, overwhelmed by the horror of her reality, Cassie's arms wrap around her and hold her tight. Janet turns and sobs into her daughter's shoulder, crying for the first time since she lost her wife.

She's not sure how long she cries but when she finally manages to calm herself down, the shadows in the room stretch from the window to the bed. Cassie's whispering soothingly, gentle words of comfort. Janet pulls away and sniffles, wiping at her eyes as she turns to look up at her daughter's tear-stained face.

"I'm sorry," she whispers, the tears making her voice rough. "I didn't mean to cry all over you."

"It's okay, Mom." Cassie laughs weakly and presses a soft kiss to Janet's cheek. "You needed it."

Janet grunts a jagged laugh and leans back into her embrace and they sit in silence, each lost in their own grief as they listen to the crickets outside the window.


	3. Knowledge

**Disclaimer:** I still don't own the characters, though I certainly wish I did.

 **Author's Note:** This is set in early season one, right before "Fata Morgana". It's unbeta'd so all mistakes are, as always, my own.

* * *

"That was rough."

Helen Magnus watches as the Sanctuary's resident psychologist heaves a sigh and lowers himself into the chair in front of her desk. He looks tired, which isn't terribly surprising considering he's just done a there-and-back on a commercial flight - never fun - to attend the military funeral of a woman he's never met. Resting her pen on the open pages of the journal she's been writing in, Helen gives him a sympathetic smile and dips her head.

"I imagine it was rather difficult," she says, motioning to the pitcher of water at the edge of her desk. Will Zimmerman shakes his head and Helen pours herself a glass of water before continuing. "Samantha Carter was an incredible scientist and her loss is a blow to the scientific community at large."

"What was it you said she did again?" Will asks, leaning back in his chair and stretching out as he speaks. "I never did catch it at the service."

"She worked on a top-secret project under Cheyenne Mountain," Helen replies and picks up her pen to tap it thoughtfully against the edge of her journal.

"Nothing's under that mountain but NORAD." Will pops his neck and groans happily. "I have friends I went to college with who know about it."

"Well they're incorrect, William. There's more to Cheyenne Mountain than meets the eye." Helen's tone is knowledgeable and firm.

"And that's why you want Doctor Fraiser? Because you think she'll be able to handle the idea of the Sanctuary because of what's under the Mountain?"

Helen smiles and lifts an eyebrow as she says, "My security clearance extends to the highest levels across the globe because of my work here. I'm privy to things no other civilian would ever have a hope of hearing whispered about in the dark. There's quite a lot under Cheyenne Mountain, William, and Doctor Fraiser is more than qualified to work for me, more than any other person on this earth - and off it."

"Off it . . . yeah, right." Will laughs but stops abruptly at the serene smile on Helen's face. "Wait, you're serious?"

"Quite," she replies, standing and smoothing her skirt as she lifts a hand towards the door. "I do believe my friend has supper ready, so we can continue our discussion after we've finished."

* * *

Will's brow is furrowed as he eats his lasagna and Helen smiles into her salad at the look of consternation he's had since they left her office. Thanking Bigfoot for another wonderful meal, Helen heads back to her own sanctuary and counts down the seconds in her mind. Just as she reaches ' _one_ ', Will's voice rings out in the hallway.

"Magnus, wait!"

Helen stops and waits for her new protege to catch up with her. Will's only been at the Sanctuary for a few months but she knows she made the correct choice in pursuing him for employment. Of course, he doesn't know that he's Helen's protege - that discussion hasn't happened yet - but he's perfect for work at the Sanctuary and does his job well.

"So this whole not-on-Earth thing, is that for real?" Will asks when he catches up and Helen nods as she starts to walk again.

"Indeed. The United States Air Force has a secret base under Cheyenne Mountain where there is a piece of alien technology called the Stargate that allows a user to travel across the galaxy to other planets," she explains and stifles a smile at the incredulous look Will gives her before continuing. "Samantha Carter was a member of the main team, SG-1, and served as both scientist and soldier. Janet Fraiser is the Chief Medical Officer of Cheyenne Mountain and has treated numerous wounds to both humans and aliens alike."

"And you think you can convince her to leave that and come work here?" he asks, his eyes wide as he stares at her. "I mean, no offence, Magnus, but it wouldn't be hard to choose."

"I think she'll leave the Mountain on her own, William," Helen says and waves a hand. "No offence taken, of course. I think Doctor Fraiser will leave the SGC now that Major Carter is no longer there. I've been following her for a very long time, you see, and her potential is incredible. But while she works at Cheyenne Mountain, Janet Fraiser is untouchable. I'm very sorry for the loss of her wife, as a person and a scientist, but I'm hopeful she'll leave the SGC now and will agree to work for the Sanctuary."

Will's got his hands shoved in the pockets of his jeans and he looks at his feet as he walks. Helen waits patiently, knowing that he'll have input and that it'll be valuable in the acquisition of Janet Fraiser's talent. After scuffling his feet against the rug with each step, Will looks over at Helen and shrugs.

"It'll have to be completely her choice or she'll feel like she's doing this out of a rebound reaction to losing Major Carter and she'll resent both herself and you for the work. You may have to wait, you may not, but I'd say give her time and then approach her," he says quietly.

"Thank you, William." Helen stops at her office door and smiles softly as she lays her hand on his upper arm. "Get some rest. We leave for Scotland to investigate several abnormal sightings in three days and I need you at your very best."

"Will do," he says and throws a sloppy salute at her as he walks away. Helen watches him and inhales deeply, closing her eyes for a moment at the ease with which he accepts things so smoothly - recent introductions to abnormals aside. It's unusual but certainly one of the main reasons she's so confident that she's made the right choice with him. Slipping into her office, Helen sits at her desk and pulls out a thick file labelled 'J.F.' and begins to read through it again, using a pad of paper to make notes.


	4. Indecision

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing in the Stargate or Sanctuary universes, though I wish I did. It's a travesty, I know.

 **Author's Note:** This is unbeta'd so all mistakes are my own.

* * *

She lays in the hammock and watches the sky, her mind wandering as freely as the clouds drifting past. Sam's smile dances in her memory, followed closely by the sound of her laughter and the crinkling around those impossibly blue eyes; it's all so perfect until a shadow falls across Janet's form and interrupts her daydreaming. The snap back to reality is harsh but Janet finds she barely has the energy to roll her head to the side and stare blankly at Daniel's concerned face.

"I've been saying your name for five minutes," Daniel says, squatting down to bring himself to her eye level. "Cassie called and asked me to check in on you, said you haven't been sounding well and she's concerned."

"I'm fine," Janet replies automatically and even she can hear the monotone quality of her voice. She can't bring herself to care, though, and watches as Daniel's eyebrow heads for his hairline.

"I don't think you are, Janet. We're all really worried about you," he says and Janet shrugs.

"I'm fine," she repeats and turns her head to look back at the clouds. She hears Daniel moving around but can't be bothered to look at him again. When he speaks again, his voice comes from right beside her head.

"I know how hard it is to lose your wife, Janet, remember? I don't know exactly what you're going through but I do know what it's like to live while she's gone. You can't just give up because then Cassie would lose both parents," he says quietly. "What would Sam want you to do?"

"I don't know." She stares up at the clouds and blinks when her vision suddenly blurs with tears. "I don't know because this isn't anything we ever anticipated and I don't know what to do anymore." She sniffles and closes her eyes. "I can't even go to the Mountain anymore because all it does is remind me of Sam and it hurts too much."

Daniel takes her hand as he says, "So what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to leave the Air Force."

* * *

The diner is small, cramped, and so far from Colorado that Janet loves it immediately. She's been sitting a corner booth for the last two hours, nursing a cup of coffee that's been cold for most of that time, and her attention is split between the waitress serving the customers and the cook making the food. There's something about the small restaurant that caught her attention as she drove by, though she has no idea what that something is.

She left Colorado Springs yesterday and drove straight for Canada, desperate to put distance between her and the ghosts of her loss. General Hammond - and all of SG-1, really - tried to convince her to stay but she doesn't regret resigning her commission. She's given twenty years of her life to the Air Force and it's time she moves on. What she'll do now is a mystery but she's content with her choice to retire; surely someone somewhere needs a doctor. Cassie is back at school and Janet knows she doesn't need her mother anymore, though she promised to always have her phone on so her daughter can call whenever she wants.

The sound of angry voices draws her attention and Janet looks over just in time to see a hooded figure raise a gun at the diner's waitress. The sound of the gunshot thunders through the small diner and the figure takes off out the door before the waitress even falls. Janet's on her feet in a heartbeat and she hurries over to the waitress's side; it takes only a glance to know that the woman is dead and Janet turns sharply to run out the door after the shooter, her training kicking in instinctively.

She sees the figure duck around a corner into an alley and she follows, running as hard as she can to try to catch up. When she rounds the corner, she skids to a halt and scans the empty alley. There's nowhere the figure could've gone but there's no one else in the alley and Janet's brow furrows in confusion.

"What the hell?" she mutters, turning in place. A faint breeze lifts the hair from the back of her neck and she spins around when she feels something brush past her arm but there's nothing there. Her heart is pounding and she shakes her head slightly, more confused than ever.

"There!"

The softly accented voice that calls out from the mouth of the alley makes Janet jump and she looks over to see a brunette woman standing with a golden gun pointing at her. Janet throws her hands up and shakes her head - ready to step back and declare her innocence - but a sudden pressure around her throat makes her yelp; there's an arm around her throat and judging by the harsh metal against her temple, there's a gun pressed to her head. She's caught off-guard by her sudden predicament; she didn't even hear her captor approach.

"Let her go," the brunette says and when she steps closer, Janet's shocked to see the mysterious woman bears a striking resemblance to her dead wife; the blue eyes, the strong jaw, the almost palpable confidence - they all remind Janet of Sam. The British accent and long brown hair, though, those aren't familiar.

"Why should I? She was chasing me." Janet notes the male voice and is ready to lash out with her foot when her captor whispers, "Don't even think about it."

"Let her go, Micky," the mystery woman says and Janet stares intently at her as the man's arm tightens around her throat. "Don't make me shoot you."

"Do it," Janet says, her eyes locked with the woman's as she licks her lips and steels herself. "Take the shot."

The woman shakes her head but keeps her gun steady as she says, "I don't have a clean shot. I'd hit you."

"Do it," Janet insists. "I watched him shoot the waitress and I can assure you that this wouldn't be my first gunshot. _Take the shot_."

"I'm truly sorry," the woman says and when the gunshot rings out, Janet's surprised for a moment that she actually took the shot. There's a moment where nothing changes and then she's falling, her assailant's arms loosening as he stumbles backward. Janet hits the ground hard, the pain from the bullet wound spreading through her shoulder as she lies on the asphalt. Her breathing is ragged as she fights the pain; it's not a fatal wound, of course, but it hurts like hell and she has to struggle to stay conscious. Apparently she's forgotten how much getting shot actually hurts.

She can hear the mystery woman issuing orders to someone - "Get Micky and I'll get her." - and suddenly the woman's face comes into her line of vision. Swallowing thickly, Janet grunts as the woman presses on the bleeding wound in her shoulder and her last thought before the pain overwhelms her and forces her into the welcome oblivion of unconsciousness is that the woman's eyes are a stunningly familiar shade of blue.


	5. Confusion

**Author's Note:** I _still_ blame napoleonicpowerqueen for this. She asked for this and my muse, being the amazing beast that she is, agreed immediately because it's cruel and painful and such a fun prompt.

 **Disclaimer** : I own nothing recognizable.

* * *

Helen sits in the Sanctuary's infirmary, her eyes flicking between the monitors she's got Janet Fraiser hooked up to and the file spread open on the desk before her. She watches the small woman's heart rate - noting the gradual increase that signals a slow rise to consciousness - and turns back to the file she's reading for the thousandth time. At this point she's pretty sure she's got the impressive file memorized.

"She's still asleep?" Will asks from the door and Helen nods, laying her pen down as she leans back in the chair.

"I kept her sedated for a day longer than needed to allow her body to heal from both the gunshot and the physical aspects of her grief," she explains. Will sinks into the chair across from Helen and runs his hand across his face.

"I can't imagine what she's been going through to let herself go so far," he says quietly. "It's not uncommon to forget self-care during grief but she really took it to an extreme."

"She'll be very much in need of your expertise," Helen replies, her fingers tracing the edge of the file. "She lost a significant amount of weight - pounds she couldn't afford to lose to begin with - and spent so much time in bed that she has a severe vitamin D deficiency. Her superior officer at Cheyenne Mountain expressed his concern for her well being and I assured him that we'll help her."

"Like I said, I can't imagine what she's gone through with the grief of losing her wife." Will winces, rubbing at the back of his neck. "I'll do my best to help her but I think you're going to be the most successful in helping her, Magnus. She'll need to heal physically before I can get into the heavy lifting of helping her heal psychologically."

"She's awake." Bigfoot sticks his head in, cutting off what Helen's about to say. Grabbing Janet's file and tucking it under her arm, Helen stands and leaves the infirmary's office. Janet Fraiser is in a private room close to the office and when Helen enters, she's pleased to see the small woman is sitting up in the bed, pillows piled behind her back to keep her upright. The gown she's wearing washes out her coloring so Janet looks pale but she looks infinitely better than she did twenty four hours ago despite the bandages visible and the sling her arm is held immobile in.

"I'm glad you're awake," Helen says softly, moving to Janet's bedside with a gentle smile. She checks the monitors and fusses with the morphine drip - gunshot wounds hurt and she doesn't want her patient in pain - before turning her focus on Janet, her smile turning sheepish. "I must apologize for shooting you."

"I told you to take the shot," Janet says, her voice gruff from disuse. "The man in the alley?"

"Secured," Helen replies. "Fortunately for him, his wound wasn't severe and he'll be healed in no time." She doesn't mention that this particular man has an impressively quick healing time thanks to his abnormal genes. "Once he's healed, he'll face the music, so to speak, for his crime at the diner." Helen pulls a stool up to Janet's bedside and takes a seat, watching the other woman take in the information. "Can you tell me what happened?"

"He walked in and shot the waitress with no provocation," Janet says, her voice quiet and pensive. "I'd been there for a few hours, taking a break from driving, and he came in and shot her point blank." Janet blinks a few times, her brow furrowing as she stops to look around for the first time. "Where am I?"

"You're at the Sanctuary," Helen replies. "It's a private medical facility on the outskirts of the Old City."

"You're a doctor?"

"I am," Helen smiles. "I'm Doctor Helen Magnus and this," she motions to where Will's been standing in the doorway, "- is Doctor William Zimmerman."

"Well this is fun," Janet says and Helen's pleasantly surprised to hear a trace of humor in her voice. "I'm a doctor too."

"You're well known at the Sanctuary, Doctor Fraiser." Helen tilts her head and laughs softly, amused. "I've followed your work for a very long time."

Janet stares at her for a long moment and just when Helen's ready to clear her throat and break the awkward silence, the small woman speaks.

"Twenty years of dull postings for the United States Air Force hardly qualify someone to be well-known," she says and Helen grins.

"That's very true," she agrees before leaning in and whispering conspiratorially, "but we both know your service record is full of everything but dull postings."

"How -"

"I'll explain everything once you've rested and recovered from your injury," Helen says, holding up a hand to cut Janet off. "I'll be back in an hour or so to check your healing and if it's to my liking, I'll give you a tour of the Sanctuary."

"It's a lot to take in," Will finally speaks from his place at the door and Helen smiles at his words. "But it's worth every moment. Just remember to ask all the questions you have."

Janet looks between Will and Helen before slumping back against the pillows with a resigned sigh. "I'm not sure how you know anything about my work but I'm interested to hear the story." She yawns and Helen stands, lightly resting her hand on Janet's good shoulder.

"Rest well, Doctor Fraiser, and I'll be back soon. If you need anything, my friend will let me know," she says and Bigfoot steps up behind Will. Janet's eyebrows shoot up at the sight of the simian-like man but she says nothing and Helen silently celebrates the fact that she seems to have been right about Janet Fraiser's open acceptance of the unusual.

"Will do." Janet lets her head lie back and she closes her eyes, which Helen takes as her cue to leave. Will follows her back to the infirmary's office and watches as she settles herself at the desk again. They talk about Janet's file and Helen's surprised to find that an hour passes quickly.

"I have to check her healing," she says. "But I'm certain she's doing well so I'll give her the tour and end in your office. I'm sure she'll have a lot to talk about."

"I'll be there. Don't break her," he teases. "She's valuable."

"Cheeky monkey," Helen replies, laughing as she shakes her head and heads for the door. "We'll see you soon."


	6. Impressions

**Disclaimer:** I still don't own the characters, though I certainly wish I did.

 **Author's Note:** This is unbeta'd so all mistakes are, as always, my own.

* * *

"This is _incredible_."

Janet's eyes are wide as she takes in the sight of the main rotunda of the Sanctuary's habitat level. Her attention jumps from place to place, each movement drawing her eyes in rapid succession. Doctor Magnus is standing just behind her but Janet's too swept up in the sprawling scenery before her to really pay attention to the brunette woman.

"I'm pleased you think so," Helen says, her voice laced with quiet pride. "I've dedicated my life to providing a safe haven for Abnormals who need protection from the cruelty of a world that doesn't understand them."

"I've seen some truly spectacular things in my life but this takes the cake," Janet replies, her eyes bright as Helen leads her to a large water-filled tank. They stand in front of the glass and Janet gasps in shock as a mermaid swims forward, her long hair drifting lazily around her shoulders. Reaching her good hand out and pressing it against the glass in awe, Janet watches the mermaid mirror the motion and is startled to hear a soft melody play through her mind. She jerks her hand away and throws a shocked look at Helen, who just smiles serenely.

"William and Henry have lovingly nicknamed her Sally since her given name is long and hard to pronounce," Helen says as she greets her old friend.

"She's beautiful," Janet breathes, her eyes wide in wonder.

"She appreciates the compliment." Helen smiles and gently guides Janet to the next stop on their tour. They enter a large doorless room and find a young man working at his computer, typing away furiously. When Helen clears her throat softly, the man turns and grins.

"Magnus! I was just about to call you," he says, leaning back and waving a hand at the monitor he's just turned from. "I got the results of the search and you were right, there are more reports of homeless men going missing than the police let on. I sent Will the results and he said he'd take a closer look to see why the reports weren't taken seriously."

"Well done, Henry." Helen smiles that proud smile again. "Henry, this is Doctor Janet Fraiser. Doctor Fraiser, this is Henry Foss, head of security here at the Sanctuary."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Janet says. "You do an amazing job, Mister Foss."

"You're the Janet Fraiser?" Henry's face lights up and he grins widely. "Man, I've been waiting to meet you for a really long time. Your work with that machine that made the little wormy things was brilliant!"

Janet's jaw drops and she stares in shock at the casual knowledge this man has of Ma'chello's goa'uld killing device. The files from the SGC are highly classified and if someone outside of the Mountain - hell, outside of the United States - knows about it, there's a serious leak. Just as she's about to lose her cool, Helen steps forward and waves a hand at Henry.

"We've not gotten quite that far, Henry. There'll be time for you to talk to Doctor Fraiser after the tour," she says kindly. Janet starts to speak but Helen cuts her off. "I'll explain everything once we're done, Doctor Fraiser. You'll have to excuse Henry's enthusiasm."

* * *

After the tour is done and Janet's mind is completely and utterly blown, the two women walk quietly through the hallways, following a pathway only Helen knows. Janet's so caught up in the shock of everything she's seen that she can't find the words to express her awe accurately. When they reach Will's office, Helen knocks once and they enter when called in.

"So how'd the tour go?" Will asks once the women are settled in chairs across from him and Janet just shakes her head.

"I can't . . . this place is incredible," she finally says. "It's nothing like I've ever seen before."

"That's high praise coming from you, Doctor Frai-"

"Please, call me Janet," the petite woman interrupts.

"Only if you call me Helen," Helen counters with a smile before continuing. "I know you have questions about the Sanctuary but I'd like to start by explaining why I know so much about you and your work."

"Oh please do," Janet says and settles back in the chair, tugging at the sling to get her arm into a more comfortable position. "Information about my work is classified at the highest level."

"One of the perks of being the head of the Sanctuary network is that I have the highest security clearance across the globe," Helen explains. "Every government in the world allows me to know what goes on and there's been more than one occasion where my expertise with Abnormals has allowed me to assist." Her voice is soft but there's that soft tone of pride again that makes Janet smile faintly. "The United States Air Force thought it prudent to allow me access to Stargate Command's files and because of that, I've been able to follow your career from the first moment you accepted your posting as Chief Medical Officer of Cheyenne Mountain."

Janet stares in shock, her eyebrow raised high. "The thought of anyone having such unilateral access to sensitive information is a little unsettling," she says finally. "I mean, just knowing about the Stargate program is big but to think you've got knowledge about everything that happens on this world - and off it too, I suppose - is startling."

"In my line of work, the difference between walking away unharmed and ending up dead is only knowledge," Helen replies quietly. "I've had times where I was certain I wouldn't survive and the only thing that kept me alive was knowing certain facts that aren't available to the public."

Janet leans back in her chair and watches Helen with intense eyes, her mind racing at the information she's been given in the last hour. She shifts her sling a little and winces as pain radiates from her wound but says nothing about it; she's had worse and like she told Helen, this isn't her first gunshot.

"So, why did you show me the Sanctuary?" she finally asks. "Don't get me wrong, it was amazing and probably one of the most incredible things I've seen since I started at the SGC but I get the feeling you've got more in mind than just shocking me." She notes, with some satisfaction, that Will and Helen share a look that indicates she's correct.

"I spoke to General Hammond earlier this evening," Helen finally says once she's focused on the small brunette again. "I informed him of my intention to offer you a position here at the Sanctuary."

"A position?" Janet breathes, shaking her head. "I'm not looking for a job, Helen. I just left the Air Force and intend to travel for a while to clear my head."

"That's what General Hammond said you'd say," Helen replies lightly. "I know your reasons for leaving Colorado Springs and while I fully understand them, I ask that you give my offer serious consideration. I believe we can all benefit from your presence at the Sanctuary."

"I don't - " Janet stops and shakes her head, chewing her lip when she realizes that she doesn't really want to keep wandering. ' _Sam wouldn't want me to be lost forever_.'

"Take time to think things over," Will says and Janet looks over at him. "You've got a room here for the evening, regardless of what you choose to do. I agree with Magnus, though, I think everyone would benefit from you staying."

"There's no pressure," Helen assures her. "If you choose to walk away, I'll completely understand."

"I need to think," Janet murmurs softly as she stands. "I appreciate the tour but I think I'd like to lie down now."

Helen just smiles and stands, holding her hand out towards the door. Janet nods a polite nod to Will, who returns the gesture, and then lets Helen lead her to the guest room she'll be in. Looking around at the large room, Janet smiles faintly at the woman hovering by the doorway.

"Thank you," she says. "I appreciate your generosity."

"It's the least I can do after you so kindly allowed me to shoot you," Helen replies, making Janet chuckle.

"I told you - and you know, if you've read my file - that this wasn't my first gunshot wound."

"Very true, but regardless, I am sorry. I'm not in the habit of wounding prospective employees upon our first meeting, despite what William might say."

Janet laughs softly and nods. "So noted. I'll make sure to ask him about his healing time."


End file.
